<PAGE>
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.1


                         THE HOUSTON EXPLORATION COMPANY

                                       and

                      THE BANK OF NEW YORK, as Rights Agent



                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT

                           Dated as of August 12, 2004




<PAGE>


                                TABLE OF CONTENTS


<Table>
<Caption>
                                                                                                      Page
<S>             <C>                                                                                   <C>
Section 1.      Certain Definitions....................................................................1

Section 2.      Appointment of Rights Agent............................................................7

Section 3.      Issue of Right Certificates............................................................7

Section 4.      Form of Right Certificates.............................................................9

Section 5.      Countersignature and Registration......................................................9

Section 6.      Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated,
                Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates..........................................10

Section 7.      Exercise of Rights, Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.........................11

Section 8.      Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates....................................12

Section 9.      Availability of Shares of Preferred Stock.............................................12

Section 10.     Preferred Stock Record Date...........................................................13

Section 11.     Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares and Number of Rights...................14

Section 12.     Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares............................22

Section 13.     Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power..................22

Section 14.     Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares...............................................26

Section 15.     Rights of Action......................................................................27

Section 16.     Agreement of Right Holders............................................................27

Section 17.     Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.....................................28

Section 18.     Concerning the Rights Agent...........................................................28

Section 19.     Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.............................29

Section 20.     Duties of Rights Agent................................................................29
</Table>


<PAGE>

<Table>
<S>             <C>                                                                                   <C>
Section 21.     Change of Rights Agent................................................................31

Section 22.     Issuance of New Right Certificates....................................................32

Section 23.     Redemption............................................................................32

Section 24.     Exchange..............................................................................33

Section 25.     Notice of Certain Events..............................................................34

Section 26.     Notices...............................................................................35

Section 27.     Supplements and Amendments............................................................36

Section 28.     Successors............................................................................36

Section 29.     Benefits of this Agreement............................................................36

Section 30.     Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors..................................36

Section 31.     Severability..........................................................................37

Section 32.     Governing Law.........................................................................37

Section 33.     Counterparts..........................................................................37

Section 34.     Descriptive Headings..................................................................37
</Table>


<PAGE>



                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT


               Rights Agreement, dated as of August 12, 2004 ("Agreement"),
between The Houston Exploration Company, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
and The Bank of New York, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").

               The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared
a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each share of
Common Stock (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding as of the Close
of Business (as defined below) on August 23, 2004 (the "Record Date"), each
Right representing the right to purchase one one-thousandth (subject to
adjustment) of a share of Preferred Stock (as hereinafter defined), upon the
terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, and has further authorized
and directed the issuance of one Right (subject to adjustment as provided
herein) with respect to each share of Common Stock that shall become outstanding
between the Record Date and the earlier of the Distribution Date and the
Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined); provided, however, that
Rights may be issued with respect to shares of Common Stock that shall become
outstanding after the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date in
accordance with Section 22.

               Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:

               Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement,
the following terms have the meaning indicated:

               (a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is
hereinafter defined) who or which shall be the Beneficial Owner (as such term is
hereinafter defined) of 10% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding, but shall not include an Exempt Person (as such term is hereinafter
defined); provided, however, that (i) if the Board of Directors of the Company
determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring
Person" became the Beneficial Owner of a number of shares of Common Stock such
that the Person would otherwise qualify as an "Acquiring Person" inadvertently
(including, without limitation, because (A) such Person was unaware that it
beneficially owned a percentage of Common Stock that would otherwise cause such
Person to be an "Acquiring Person" or (B) such Person was aware of the extent of
its Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock but had no actual knowledge of the
consequences of such Beneficial Ownership under this Agreement) and without any
intention of changing or influencing control of the Company, then such Person
shall not be deemed to be or to have become an "Acquiring Person" for any
purposes of this Agreement unless and until such Person shall have failed to
divest itself, as soon as practicable (as determined, in good faith, by the
Board of Directors of the Company), of Beneficial Ownership of a sufficient
number of shares of Common Stock so that such Person would no longer otherwise
qualify as an "Acquiring Person"; (ii) if, as of the date hereof or prior



                                       1
<PAGE>

to the first public announcement of the adoption of this Agreement, any Person
is or becomes the Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of the shares of Common Stock
outstanding, such Person shall not be deemed to be or to become an "Acquiring
Person" unless and until such time as such Person shall, after the first public
announcement of the adoption of this Agreement, become the Beneficial Owner of
additional shares of Common Stock (other than pursuant to a dividend or
distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding Common Stock or
pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding Common Stock), unless,
upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional shares of Common Stock,
such Person is not then the Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of the shares of
Common Stock then outstanding; and (iii) no Person shall become an "Acquiring
Person" as the result of an acquisition of shares of Common Stock by the Company
which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate
number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such Person to 10% or
more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, provided, however, that if
a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of the shares of
Common Stock then outstanding by reason of such share acquisitions by the
Company and shall thereafter become the Beneficial Owner of any additional
shares of Common Stock (other than pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid
or made by the Company on the outstanding Common Stock or pursuant to a split or
subdivision of the outstanding Common Stock), then such Person shall be deemed
to be an "Acquiring Person" unless upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such
additional shares of Common Stock such Person does not beneficially own 10% or
more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding. For all purposes of this
Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular
percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock of which any Person is the
Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule
13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as in effect on the date
hereof.

               (b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective
meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date hereof.

               (c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, shall be
deemed to have "Beneficial Ownership" of and shall be deemed to "beneficially
own" any securities:

                  (i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates is deemed to beneficially own, directly or indirectly, within the
meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange
Act as in effect on the date hereof;

                  (ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable
immediately or only after the passage



                                       2
<PAGE>

of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding or upon the
exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights, warrants or options, or
otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial
Owner of, or to beneficially own, (x) securities tendered pursuant to a tender
or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for
purchase, (y) securities which such Person has a right to acquire upon the
exercise of Rights at any time prior to the time that any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person or (z) securities issuable upon the exercise of Rights from and
after the time that any Person becomes an Acquiring Person if such Rights were
acquired by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates prior
to the Distribution Date or pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof
("Original Rights") or pursuant to Section 11(i) or Section 11(n) with respect
to an adjustment to Original Rights; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall
not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security by
reason of such agreement, arrangement or understanding if the agreement,
arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely from a
revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a public proxy or
consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable
rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also
then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or
successor report); or

                  (iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
any other Person and with respect to which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the
purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by the
proviso to Section 1(c)(ii)(B)) or disposing of such securities of the Company;

provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph (c) shall cause a Person
engaged in business as an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial Owner"
of, or to "beneficially own," any securities which such Person would otherwise
be deemed to be the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," through
such Person's participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting
until the expiration of sixty days after the date such Person would otherwise be
deemed to be the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own" any such
securities (or such later date not to exceed an additional sixty days as may be
determined by action of the Board of Directors of the Company prior to the
expiration of such sixty day period), and then only if such securities continue
to be "beneficially owned" by such Person at such expiration of sixty days (or
such later date not to exceed an additional sixty days as determined by action
of the Board of Directors of the Company pursuant to the preceding clause) and
provided further, however, that no Person who is an officer, director or
employee of an Exempt Person shall be deemed, solely by reason of such Person's
status or authority as such, to be the "Beneficial Owner" of, to have
"Beneficial Ownership" of or to "beneficially own" any securities that are
"beneficially owned" (as defined in this Section 1(c)), including, without
limitation, in a fiduciary




                                       3
<PAGE>

capacity, by an Exempt Person or by any other such officer, director or employee
of an Exempt Person.

               (d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a
Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York or the
city in which the principal office of the Rights Agent is located are authorized
or obligated by law or executive order to close.

               (e) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M.,
New York City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the next succeeding
Business Day.

               (f) "Common Stock" when used with reference to the Company shall
mean the Common Stock, presently par value $0.01 per share, of the Company.
"Common Stock" when used with reference to any Person other than the Company
shall mean the common stock (or, in the case of an unincorporated entity, the
equivalent equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such other Person
or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or
Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.

               (g) "Common Stock Equivalents" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.

               (h) "Current Value" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.

               (i) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3 hereof.

               (j) "Equivalent Preferred Shares" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(b) hereof.

               (k) "Exempt Person" shall mean (i) the Company or any Subsidiary
(as such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company, in each case including,
without limitation, in its fiduciary capacity, or any employee benefit plan of
the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity or trustee
holding Common Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan or for the
purpose of funding any such plan or funding other employee benefits for
employees of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company; and (ii) KeySpan
Corporation, a New York corporation, its Affiliates and Associates and any
special purpose business trust or similar entity formed by KeySpan Corporation
for the purpose of holding forward contracts or stock purchase contracts
relating to the shares of Common Stock held by KeySpan Corporation or its
Affiliates and Associates, which trust or similar entity issues securities to
the public or to institutional investors representing beneficial interests in
such entity (a "Special Purpose Entity") for so long as KeySpan



                                       4
<PAGE>

Corporation, together with its Affiliates, Associates and any Special Purpose
Entity, shall be the Beneficial Owner of 10% or more, but not more than 24%, of
the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, provided that KeySpan Corporation,
together with its Affiliates, Associates and any Special Purpose Entity, shall
cease to be an Exempt Person when KeySpan Corporation, together with its
Affiliates, Associates and any Special Purpose Entity, shall become the
Beneficial Owner of less than 10% or more than 24% of the shares of Common Stock
then outstanding, provided, however, that such KeySpan Corporation, together
with its Affiliates, Associates and any Special Purpose Entity, shall not cease
to be an Exempt Person as the result of an acquisition of shares of Common Stock
by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases
the proportionate number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by KeySpan
Corporation, together with its Affiliates, Associates and any Special Purpose
Entity, to more than 24% of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding,
provided further, however, that if KeySpan Corporation, together with its
Affiliates, Associates and any Special Purpose Entity, becomes the Beneficial
Owner of more than 24% of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding by reason
of such share acquisitions by the Company and KeySpan Corporation, together with
its Affiliates, Associates and any Special Purpose Entity, shall thereafter
become the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of Common Stock (other than
pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the
outstanding Common Stock or pursuant to a split or subdivision of the
outstanding Common Stock), then KeySpan Corporation, together with its
Affiliates, Associates and any Special Purpose Entity, shall cease to be an
Exempt Person unless upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional
shares of Common Stock KeySpan Corporation, together with its Affiliates,
Associates and any Special Purpose Entity does not beneficially own more than
24% of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding.


               (l) "Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
24 hereof.

               (m) "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7 hereof.

               (n) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7 hereof.

               (o) "Flip-In Event" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.

               (p) "NASDAQ" shall mean The Nasdaq Stock Market.

               (q) "New York Stock Exchange" shall mean the New York Stock
Exchange, Inc.




                                       5
<PAGE>

               (r) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation,
partnership, limited liability company, trust or other entity, and shall include
any successor (by merger or otherwise) to such entity.

               (s) "Preferred Stock" shall mean the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company having
the rights and preferences set forth in the Form of Certificate of Designation
attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.

               (t) "Principal Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
13(b) hereof.

               (u) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7(b) hereof.

               (v) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7 hereof.

               (w) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 23 hereof.

               (x) "Right Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3 hereof.

               (y) "Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.

               (z) "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.

               (aa) "Spread" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.

               (bb) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) by the
Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such, or such
earlier date as a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company shall become
aware of the existence of an Acquiring Person.

               (cc) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or
other entity of which securities or other ownership interests having ordinary
voting power sufficient to elect a majority of the board of directors or other
persons performing similar functions are beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by such Person, and any corporation or other entity that is
otherwise controlled by such Person.


                                        6
<PAGE>


               (dd) "Substitution Period" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.

               (ee) "Summary of Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3 hereof.

               (ff) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(d)(i) hereof.

               Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby
appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the
Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the
Distribution Date be the holders of Common Stock) in accordance with the terms
and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The
Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem
necessary or desirable.

               Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates.

               (a) Until the Close of Business on the earlier of (i) the tenth
day after the Stock Acquisition Date or (ii) the tenth Business Day (or such
later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors of the
Company prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after the
date of the commencement by any Person of, or of the first public announcement
of the intention of such Person to commence, a tender or exchange offer the
consummation of which would result in any Person becoming an Acquiring Person
(the earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date",
provided, however, that if either of such dates occurs after the date of this
Agreement and on or prior to the Record Date, then the Distribution Date shall
be the Record Date), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions
of Section 3(b) hereof) by the certificates for Common Stock registered in the
names of the holders thereof and not by separate Right Certificates, and (y) the
Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common
Stock. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will
prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign and the Company will send
or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested, send) by
first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common
Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date (other than any
Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person), at the
address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, a Right Certificate,
in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a "Right Certificate"),
evidencing one Right (subject to adjustment as provided herein) for each share
of Common Stock so held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.

               (b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the
Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Shares of Preferred
Stock, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of Rights"),
by first-class,




                                       7
<PAGE>

postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Stock as of the Close of
Business on the Record Date (other than any Acquiring Person or any Associate or
Affiliate of any Acquiring Person), at the address of such holder shown on the
records of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common Stock
outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will
be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof
together with the Summary of Rights. Until the Distribution Date (or, if
earlier, the Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for
Common Stock outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the
Summary of Rights, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with the Common Stock represented thereby.

               (c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common
Stock issued or disposed of (including, without limitation, upon disposition of
Common Stock out of treasury stock or issuance or reissuance of Common Stock out
of authorized but unissued shares) after the Record Date but prior to the
earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date, or in certain
circumstances provided in Section 22 hereof, after the Distribution Date.
Certificates issued for Common Stock (including, without limitation, upon
transfer of outstanding Common Stock, disposition of Common Stock out of
treasury stock or issuance or reissuance of Common Stock out of authorized but
unissued shares) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the
Distribution Date and the Expiration Date shall have impressed on, printed on,
written on or otherwise affixed to them the following legend:

               This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
               certain Rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between The
               Houston Exploration Company (the "Company") and The Bank of New
               York, as Rights Agent, dated as of August 12, 2004 and as amended
               from time to time (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which
               are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which
               is on file at the principal executive offices of the Company.
               Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights
               Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates
               and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Company
               will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights
               Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request
               therefor. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights
               Agreement, Rights owned by or transferred to any Person who is or
               becomes an Acquiring Person (as defined in the Rights Agreement)
               and certain transferees thereof will become null and void and
               will no longer be transferable.

With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by
such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the
surrender for transfer of any such




                                       8
<PAGE>

certificate, except as otherwise provided herein, shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented thereby. In
the event that the Company purchases or otherwise acquires any Common Stock
after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated
with such Common Stock shall be deemed canceled and retired so that the Company
shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Stock
which are no longer outstanding.

               Notwithstanding this paragraph (c), the omission of a legend
shall not affect the enforceability of any part of this Agreement or the rights
of any holder of the Rights.

               Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates
(and the forms of election to purchase shares and of assignment to be printed on
the reverse thereof) shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B
hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such
legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem
appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement,
or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or
regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock
exchange or interdealer quotation system on which the Rights may from time to
time be listed or quoted, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of
this Agreement, the Right Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to
purchase such number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as
shall be set forth therein at the Purchase Price, but the number of such one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock and the Purchase Price shall be
subject to adjustment as provided herein.

               Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.

               (a) The Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Company by the President of the Company, either manually or by facsimile
signature, shall have affixed thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof
and shall be attested by the Secretary of the Company, either manually or by
facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be manually countersigned by
the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In
case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Right
Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the Person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer
of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company
by any Person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right
Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Right
Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Agreement any such
Person was not such an officer.

               (b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep
or cause to be kept, at an office or agency designated for such purpose, books
for registration and




                                       9
<PAGE>

transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the
names and addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the
number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the
date of each of the Right Certificates.

               Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.

               (a) Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, at any time
after the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, any Right
Certificate or Right Certificates may be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates, entitling the
registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then
entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer,
split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall
make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender
the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged at the office or agency of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the
Person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case
may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any
transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates.

               (b) Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, at any time
after the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, upon receipt by
the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of
the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right Certificate, and, in case
of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory
to them, and, at the Company's request, reimbursement to the Company and the
Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender
to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Right Certificate if mutilated, the
Company will make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the
Rights Agent for delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right
Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.



                                       10
<PAGE>

               Section 7. Exercise of Rights, Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights.

               (a) Except as otherwise provided herein, the Rights shall become
exercisable on the Distribution Date, and thereafter the registered holder of
any Right Certificate may, subject to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof and except as
otherwise provided herein, exercise the Rights evidenced thereby in whole or in
part upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to
purchase on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the
office or agency of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together with
payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to the total number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or other securities, cash or
other assets, as the case may be) as to which the Rights are exercised, at any
time which is both after the Distribution Date and prior to the time (the
"Expiration Date") that is the earliest of (i) the Close of Business on August
12, 2014 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are
redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the "Redemption Date") or (iii) the
time at which such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.

               (b) The Purchase Price shall be initially $275.00 for each one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise of a
Right. The Purchase Price and the number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock or other securities or property to be acquired upon exercise of
a Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections
11 and 13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of
America in accordance with paragraph (c) of this Section 7.

               (c) Except as otherwise provided herein, upon receipt of a Right
Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to
purchase duly executed, accompanied by payment of the aggregate Purchase Price
for the shares of Preferred Stock to be purchased and an amount equal to any
applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof, in cash or by certified check,
cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights
Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of
the Preferred Stock, or make available if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent
for the Preferred Stock, certificates for the number of shares of Preferred
Stock to be purchased, and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its
transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) requisition from a
depositary agent appointed by the Company depositary receipts representing
interests in such number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as
are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Stock
represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the
depositary agent), and the Company hereby directs any such depositary agent to
comply with such request, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company
the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in
accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) promptly after receipt of such
certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such
name or



                                       11
<PAGE>

names as may be designated by such holder and (iv) when appropriate, after
receipt, promptly deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered
holder of such Right Certificate.

               (d) Except as otherwise provided herein, in case the registered
holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise less than all of the Rights
evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the
exercisable Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent to
the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly authorized
assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.

               (e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any
action with respect to a registered holder of Rights upon the occurrence of any
purported transfer or exercise of Rights pursuant to Section 6 hereof or this
Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed the
certificate contained in the form of assignment or form of election to purchase
set forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate surrendered for such
transfer or exercise and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity
of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) thereof as the Company
shall reasonably request.

               Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.
All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split
up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of
its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled
form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no
Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted
by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the
Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver
all canceled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request
of the Company, destroy such canceled Right Certificates, and in such case shall
deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.

               Section 9. Availability of Shares of Preferred Stock.

               (a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of
Preferred Stock or any shares of Preferred Stock held in its treasury, the
number of shares of Preferred Stock that will be sufficient to permit the
exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.

               (b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon the
exercise of Rights may be listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, or quoted on NASDAQ, the Company shall use its best efforts
to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares
reserved for such issuance to be listed or




                                       12
<PAGE>

admitted to trading on such exchange, or quoted on NASDAQ, upon official notice
of issuance upon such exercise.

               (c) From and after such time as the Rights become exercisable,
the Company shall use its best efforts, if then necessary to permit the issuance
of shares of Preferred Stock upon the exercise of Rights, to register and
qualify such shares of Preferred Stock under the Securities Act and any
applicable state securities or "Blue Sky" laws (to the extent exemptions
therefrom are not available), cause such registration statement and
qualifications to become effective as soon as possible after such filing and
keep such registration and qualifications effective (with a prospectus at all
times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until the earlier of the
date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities and
the Expiration Date. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time
not to exceed 90 days, the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and
file a registration statement under the Securities Act and permit it to become
effective. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public
announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no
longer in effect. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction unless the
requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall have been obtained and until
a registration statement under the Securities Act shall have been declared
effective, unless an exemption therefrom is available.

               (d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such
action as may be necessary to ensure that all shares of Preferred Stock
delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the
certificates therefor (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and
validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.

               (e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay
when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges
which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right
Certificates or of any shares of Preferred Stock upon the exercise of Rights.
The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be
payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a Person
other than, or the issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts
for the Preferred Stock in a name other than that of, the registered holder of
the Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or
deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Stock upon the
exercise of any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax
being payable by that holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender)
or until it has been established to the Company's reasonable satisfaction that
no such tax is due.

               Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each Person in whose
name any certificate for Preferred Stock is issued upon the exercise of Rights
shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the
shares of Preferred Stock represented




                                       13
<PAGE>

thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Right
Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the
Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however,
that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the
Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person shall be
deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate
shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock
transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights
evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be entitled to
any rights of a holder of Preferred Stock for which the Rights shall be
exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive
dividends or other distributions, and shall not be entitled to receive any
notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.

               Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of
Shares and Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of shares of
Preferred Stock or other securities or property purchasable upon exercise of
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 11.

               (a)(i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date
of this Agreement (A) declare and pay a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable
in shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Stock, (C)
combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares of
Preferred Stock or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a
reclassification of the Preferred Stock (including any such reclassification in
connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
or surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a),
the number and kind of shares of capital stock issuable upon exercise of a Right
as of the record date for such dividend or the effective date of such
subdivision, combination or reclassification shall be proportionately adjusted
so that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to
receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such
Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company were open, the holder would have
owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such
dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification.

               (ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event any
Person becomes an Acquiring Person (the first occurrence of such event being
referred to hereinafter as the "Flip-In Event"), then (A) the Purchase Price
shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to the
Flip-In Event multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such
Flip-In Event, whether or not such Right was then exercisable, and (B) each
holder of a Right, except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a)(ii) and
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise thereof at a price equal to the Purchase Price (as so adjusted), in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of shares of Preferred
Stock, such number of shares of Common


                                       14
<PAGE>

Stock as shall equal the result obtained by dividing the Purchase Price (as so
adjusted) by 50% of the current per share market price of the Common Stock
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of such Flip-In Event;
provided, however, that the Purchase Price (as so adjusted) and the number of
shares of Common Stock so receivable upon exercise of a Right shall, following
the Flip-In Event, be subject to further adjustment as appropriate in accordance
with Section 11(f) hereof. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, however, from and after the Flip-In Event, any Rights that are
beneficially owned by (x) any Acquiring Person (or any Affiliate or Associate of
any Acquiring Person), (y) a transferee of any Acquiring Person (or any such
Affiliate or Associate) who becomes a transferee after the Flip-In Event or (z)
a transferee of any Acquiring Person (or any such Affiliate or Associate) who
became a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Flip-In Event pursuant to
either (I) a transfer from the Acquiring Person to holders of its equity
securities or to any Person with whom it has any continuing agreement,
arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (II) a transfer
which the Board of Directors of the Company has determined is part of a plan,
arrangement or understanding which has the purpose or effect of avoiding the
provisions of this paragraph, and subsequent transferees of such Persons, shall
be void without any further action and any holder of such Rights shall
thereafter have no rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights under any
provision of this Agreement. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to
ensure that the provisions of this Section 11(a)(ii) are complied with, but
shall have no liability to any holder of Right Certificates or other Person as a
result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring
Person or its Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder. From and after
the Flip-In Event, no Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to Section 3 or
Section 6 hereof that represents Rights that are or have become void pursuant to
the provisions of this paragraph, and any Right Certificate delivered to the
Rights Agent that represents Rights that are or have become void pursuant to the
provisions of this paragraph shall be canceled. From and after the occurrence of
an event specified in Section 13(a) hereof, any Rights that theretofore have not
been exercised pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii) shall thereafter be
exercisable only in accordance with Section 13 and not pursuant to this Section
11(a)(ii).

               (iii) The Company may at its option substitute for a share of
Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of Rights in accordance with the
foregoing subparagraph (ii) a number of shares of Preferred Stock or fraction
thereof such that the current per share market price of one share of Preferred
Stock multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current per share
market price of one share of Common Stock. In the event that there shall not be
sufficient shares of Common Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but
unissued to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the
foregoing subparagraph (ii), the Board of Directors of the Company shall, with
respect to such deficiency, to the extent permitted by applicable law and any
material agreements then in effect to which the Company is a party, (A)
determine the excess (such excess, the "Spread") of (1) the value of the shares
of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of a Right in accordance with the
foregoing subparagraph (ii) (the "Current Value") over (2) the Purchase Price
(as adjusted in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii)), and




                                       15
<PAGE>

(B) with respect to each Right (other than Rights which have become void
pursuant to the foregoing subparagraph (ii)), make adequate provision to
substitute for the shares of Common Stock issuable in accordance with the
foregoing subparagraph (ii) upon exercise of the Right and payment of the
Purchase Price (as adjusted in accordance therewith), (1) cash, (2) a reduction
in such Purchase Price, (3) shares of Preferred Stock or other equity securities
of the Company (including, without limitation, shares or fractions of shares of
preferred stock which, by virtue of having dividend, voting and liquidation
rights substantially comparable to those of the shares of Common Stock, are
deemed in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company to have
substantially the same value as the shares of Common Stock (such shares of
Preferred Stock and shares or fractions of shares of preferred stock are
hereinafter referred to as "Common Stock Equivalents")), (4) debt securities of
the Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having a
value which, when added to the value of the shares of Common Stock issued upon
exercise of such Right, shall have an aggregate value equal to the Current Value
(less the amount of any reduction in such Purchase Price), where such aggregate
value has been determined by the Board of Directors of the Company upon the
advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected in good faith
by the Board of Directors of the Company; provided, however, that if the Company
shall not make adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above
within thirty (30) days following the Flip-In Event (the date of the Flip-In
Event being the "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be
obligated to deliver, to the extent permitted by applicable law and any material
agreements then in effect to which the Company is a party, upon the surrender
for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of such Purchase Price,
shares of Common Stock (to the extent available), and then, if necessary, such
number or fractions of shares of Preferred Stock (to the extent available) and
then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal
to the Spread. If, upon the occurrence of the Flip-In Event, the Board of
Directors of the Company shall determine in good faith that it is likely that
sufficient additional shares of Common Stock could be authorized for issuance
upon exercise in full of the Rights, then, if the Board of Directors of the
Company so elects, the thirty (30) day period set forth above may be extended to
the extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the Section
11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek stockholder approval
for the authorization of such additional shares (such thirty (30) day period, as
it may be extended, is herein called the "Substitution Period"). To the extent
that the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the
second and/or third sentence of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall
provide, subject to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof and the last sentence of this
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to all
outstanding Rights and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until
the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek any authorization of
additional shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be
made pursuant to such second sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the
event of any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement
stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as
well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in
effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the shares of
Common Stock




                                       16
<PAGE>

shall be the current per share market price (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(i)) on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the per share or fractional
value of any "Common Stock Equivalent" shall be deemed to equal the current per
share market price of the Common Stock. The Board of Directors of the Company
may, but shall not be required to, establish procedures to allocate the right to
receive shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of the Rights among holders of
Rights pursuant to this Section 11(a)(iii).

               (b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance
of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling them
(for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to
subscribe for or purchase Preferred Stock (or shares having the same rights,
privileges and preferences as the Preferred Stock ("Equivalent Preferred
Shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred
Shares at a price per share of Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Shares
(or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into shares
of Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Shares) less than the then current
per share market price of the Preferred Stock (determined pursuant to Section
11(d) hereof) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such
record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock and Equivalent Preferred Shares
outstanding on such record date plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock and
Equivalent Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total
number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Shares so to be
offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible
securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price, and
the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock and
Equivalent Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of
additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Shares to be
offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities
so to be offered are initially convertible); provided, however, that in no event
shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than
the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable
upon exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be paid in a
consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value
of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent. Shares of Preferred Stock and Equivalent Preferred
Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed
outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be
made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that
such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be
adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record
date had not been fixed.

               (c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of
a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Stock (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (other than a regular




                                       17
<PAGE>

quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in Preferred Stock) or
subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)
hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the then current per
share market price of the Preferred Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the
assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription
rights or warrants applicable to one share of Preferred Stock, and the
denominator of which shall be such current per share market price (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) of the Preferred Stock; provided, however,
that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one
Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the
Company to be issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made
successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such
distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be
the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not
been fixed.

               (d)(i) Except as otherwise provided herein, for the purpose of
any computation hereunder, the "current per share market price" of any security
(a "Security" for the purpose of this Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be
deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security
for the 30 consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined)
immediately prior to such date; provided, however, that in the event that the
current per share market price of the Security is determined during a period
following the announcement by the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or
distribution on such Security payable in shares of such Security or securities
convertible into such shares, or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Security, and prior to the expiration of 30 Trading
Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record
date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each
such case, the current per share market price shall be appropriately adjusted to
reflect the current market price per share equivalent of such Security. The
closing price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in
case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and
asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported by the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is
listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so
quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices on NASDAQ or in the
over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use,
or, if on any such date the Security is not quoted by any such organization, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional
market maker making a market in the Security selected by the




                                       18
<PAGE>

Board of Directors of the Company. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on
which the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed
or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the
Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, a Business Day.

               (ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, if the
Preferred Stock is publicly traded, the "current per share market price" of the
Preferred Stock shall be determined in accordance with the method set forth in
Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred Stock is not publicly traded but the Common
Stock is publicly traded, the "current per share market price" of the Preferred
Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share market price of
the Common Stock as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) multiplied by the
then applicable Adjustment Number (as defined in and determined in accordance
with the Certificate of Designation for the Preferred Stock). If neither the
Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock is publicly traded, "current per share
market price" shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by
the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in
a statement filed with the Rights Agent.

               (e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless
such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the
Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this
Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken
into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section
11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of
a share of Preferred Stock or one-hundredth of a share of Common Stock or other
share or security as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this
Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later
than the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which
requires such adjustment or (ii) the Expiration Date.

               (f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section
11(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled
to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than the Preferred
Stock, thereafter the Purchase Price and the number of such other shares so
receivable upon exercise of a Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to
time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the
provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in Sections 11(a),
11(b), 11(c), 11(e), 11(h), 11(i) and 11(m) hereof, as applicable, and the
provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred
Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.

               (g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise
of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.



                                       19
<PAGE>

               (h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a
result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and 11(c), each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one
hundred-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock) obtained by (i) multiplying
(x) the number of one one-thousandths of a share purchasable upon the exercise
of a Right immediately prior to such adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in
effect immediately prior to such adjustment and (ii) dividing the product so
obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment.

               (i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment
of the Purchase Price pursuant to Sections 11(b) or 11(c) hereof to adjust the
number of Rights, in substitution for any adjustment in the number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise of a
Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of
Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such
adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of
Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest
one-hundredth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a
public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating
the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the
adjustment to be made. Such record date may be the date on which the Purchase
Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right Certificates have
been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than the date of the public
announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of
the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company may, as
promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Right
Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject to
Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to
be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the
Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and
upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right Certificates
evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such
adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed
and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be registered in
the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the record date
specified in the public announcement.

               (j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase
Price or the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
issuable upon the exercise of a Right, the Right Certificates theretofore and
thereafter issued may continue to express the




                                       20
<PAGE>

Purchase Price and the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.

               (k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below the then par value, if any, of the fraction of
Preferred Stock or other shares of capital stock issuable upon exercise of a
Right, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of
its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally
issue fully paid and nonassessable shares of Preferred Stock or other such
shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.

               (l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date the
Preferred Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any,
issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Stock and other capital
stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the
basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.

               (m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding,
the Company shall be entitled to make such adjustments in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in
order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Stock, issuance
wholly for cash of any shares of Preferred Stock at less than the current market
price, issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Stock or securities which by their
terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Stock, dividends on
Preferred Stock payable in shares of Preferred Stock or issuance of rights,
options or warrants referred to hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by
the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock shall not be taxable to such
stockholders.

               (n) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding,
in the event that at any time after the date of this Agreement and prior to the
Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare and pay any dividend on the
Common Stock payable in Common Stock or (ii) effect a subdivision, combination
or consolidation of the Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of a dividend payable in Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number
of shares of Common Stock, then, in each such case, the number of Rights
associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued or
delivered thereafter, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the number of
Rights thereafter associated with each share of Common Stock following any such
event shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights
associated with each share of Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a
fraction the numerator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately prior




                                       21
<PAGE>

to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which shall be the total
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately following the
occurrence of such event.

               (o) The Company agrees that, after the earlier of the
Distribution Date or the Stock Acquisition Date, it will not, except as
permitted by Sections 23, 24 or 27 hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to
take) any action if at the time such action is taken it is reasonably
foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or eliminate the
benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.

               Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof,
the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Stock
and the Preferred Stock a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary
thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25
hereof (if so required under Section 25 hereof). The Rights Agent shall be fully
protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein
contained and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any such adjustment
unless and until it shall have received such certificate.

               Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets
or Earning Power.

               (a) In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after the
Flip-In Event (i) the Company shall consolidate with or shall merge into any
other Person, (ii) any Person shall merge with and into the Company and the
Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in
connection with such merger, all or part of the Common Stock shall be changed
into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person (or of the
Company) or cash or any other property, or (iii) the Company shall sell or
otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise
transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50%
or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(taken as a whole) to any other Person (other than the Company or one or more
wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the Company), then upon the first occurrence of
such event, proper provision shall be made so that: (A) each holder of a Right
(other than Rights which have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof)
shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the
Purchase Price (as theretofore adjusted in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof), in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of shares of
Preferred Stock or Common Stock of the Company, such number of validly
authorized and issued, fully paid, non-assessable and freely tradeable shares of
Common Stock of the Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter defined), not
subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse
claims, as shall equal the result obtained by dividing the Purchase Price (as
theretofore adjusted in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) by 50% of the
current per share market price of the Common Stock of such Principal Party
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of
such consolidation,





                                       22
<PAGE>

merger, sale or transfer; provided, however, that the Purchase Price (as
theretofore adjusted in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) and the number
of shares of Common Stock of such Principal Party so receivable upon exercise of
a Right shall be subject to further adjustment as appropriate in accordance with
Section 11(f) hereof to reflect any events occurring in respect of the Common
Stock of such Principal Party after the occurrence of such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer; (B) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable
for, and shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this
Agreement; (C) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such
Principal Party; and (D) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including,
but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its shares of
Common Stock in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection with such
consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that the
provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may
be, in relation to the shares of its Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon
the exercise of the Rights; provided that, upon the subsequent occurrence of any
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of assets or other extraordinary
transaction in respect of such Principal Party, each holder of a Right shall
thereupon be entitled to receive, upon exercise of a Right and payment of the
Purchase Price as provided in this Section 13(a), such cash, shares, rights,
warrants and other property which such holder would have been entitled to
receive had such holder, at the time of such transaction, owned the Common Stock
of the Principal Party receivable upon the exercise of a Right pursuant to this
Section 13(a), and such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but
not limited to, reservation of shares of stock) as may be necessary to permit
the subsequent exercise of the Rights in accordance with the terms hereof for
such cash, shares, rights, warrants and other property.

               (b) "Principal Party" shall mean:

                  (i) in the case of any transaction described in (i) or (ii) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof: (A) the Person that is the issuer of
the securities into which the shares of Common Stock are converted in such
merger or consolidation, or, if there is more than one such issuer, the issuer
the shares of Common Stock of which have the greatest aggregate market value of
shares outstanding, or (B) if no securities are so issued, (x) the Person that
is the other party to the merger, if such Person survives said merger, or, if
there is more than one such Person, the Person the shares of Common Stock of
which have the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding or (y) if
the Person that is the other party to the merger does not survive the merger,
the Person that does survive the merger (including the Company if it survives)
or (z) the Person resulting from the consolidation; and

                  (ii) in the case of any transaction described in (iii) of the
first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof, the Person that is the party receiving
the greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such
transaction or transactions, or, if each Person that is a party to such
transaction or transactions receives the same portion of the assets or earning
power so transferred or if the Person receiving the greatest portion of




                                       23
<PAGE>

the assets or earning power cannot be determined, whichever of such Persons is
the issuer of Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value of shares
outstanding;

provided, however, that in any such case described in the foregoing clause
(b)(i) or (b)(ii), if the Common Stock of such Person is not at such time or has
not been continuously over the preceding 12-month period registered under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act, then (1) if such Person is a direct or indirect
Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which is and has been so
registered, the term "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person, or (2)
if such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person,
the Common Stock of all of which is and has been so registered, the term
"Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of
Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding,
or (3) if such Person is owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture
formed by two or more Persons that are not owned, directly or indirectly, by the
same Person, the rules set forth in clauses (1) and (2) above shall apply to
each of the owners having an interest in the venture as if the Person owned by
the joint venture was a Subsidiary of both or all of such joint venturers, and
the Principal Party in each such case shall bear the obligations set forth in
this Section 13 in the same ratio as its interest in such Person bears to the
total of such interests.

               (c) The Company shall not consummate any consolidation, merger,
sale or transfer referred to in Section 13(a) hereof unless prior thereto the
Company and the Principal Party involved therein shall have executed and
delivered to the Rights Agent an agreement confirming that the requirements of
Sections 13(a) and (b) hereof shall promptly be performed in accordance with
their terms and that such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of assets
shall not result in a default by the Principal Party under this Agreement as the
same shall have been assumed by the Principal Party pursuant to Sections 13(a)
and (b) hereof and providing that, as soon as practicable after executing such
agreement pursuant to this Section 13, the Principal Party will:

                  (i) prepare and file a registration statement under the
Securities Act, if necessary, with respect to the Rights and the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, use its best
efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as
practicable after such filing and use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until the Expiration Date and
similarly comply with applicable state securities laws;

                  (ii) use its best efforts, if the Common Stock of the
Principal Party shall be listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange or on another national securities exchange, to list or admit to trading
(or continue the listing of) the Rights and the securities purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights on the New York Stock Exchange or such securities
exchange, or, if the Common Stock of the Principal Party shall not be listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or a national




                                       24
<PAGE>

securities exchange, to cause the Rights and the securities receivable upon
exercise of the Rights to be authorized for quotation on NASDAQ or on such other
system then in use;

                  (iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party which comply in all respects with the
requirements for registration on Form 10 (or any successor form) under the
Exchange Act; and

                  (iv) obtain waivers of any rights of first refusal or
preemptive rights in respect of the Common Stock of the Principal Party subject
to purchase upon exercise of outstanding Rights.

               (d) In case the Principal Party has a provision in any of its
authorized securities or in its certificate of incorporation or by-laws or other
instrument governing its affairs, which provision would have the effect of (i)
causing such Principal Party to issue (other than to holders of Rights pursuant
to this Section 13), in connection with, or as a consequence of, the
consummation of a transaction referred to in this Section 13, shares of Common
Stock or Common Stock Equivalents of such Principal Party at less than the then
current market price per share thereof (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) or securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Stock or
Common Stock Equivalents of such Principal Party at less than such then current
market price, or (ii) providing for any special payment, tax or similar
provision in connection with the issuance of the Common Stock of such Principal
Party pursuant to the provisions of Section 13, then, in such event, the Company
hereby agrees with each holder of Rights that it shall not consummate any such
transaction unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have
executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing
that the provision in question of such Principal Party shall have been canceled,
waived or amended, or that the authorized securities shall be redeemed, so that
the applicable provision will have no effect in connection with, or as a
consequence of, the consummation of the proposed transaction.

               (e) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any
time after the Flip-In Event, enter into any transaction of the type described
in clauses (i) through (iii) of Section 13(a) hereof if (i) at the time of or
immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other
transaction there are any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities
outstanding or agreements in effect which would substantially diminish or
otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights, (ii)
prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger,
sale, transfer or other transaction, the stockholders of the Person who
constitutes, or would constitute, the Principal Party for purposes of Section
13(b) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by
such Person or any of its Affiliates or Associates or (iii) the form or nature
of organization of the Principal Party would preclude or limit the
exercisability of the Rights.



                                       25
<PAGE>




               Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.

               (a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Rights (except prior to the Distribution Date in accordance with Section 11(n)
hereof) or to distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In
lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of
the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would
otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a),
the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the
Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such
fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any
day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes
place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way,
in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the
New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if
the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices on NASDAQ or in the over-the-counter market, as
reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use or, if on any such date the
Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid
and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in
the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such
date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of
the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of
the Company shall be used.

               (b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock) or to distribute certificates
which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which
are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon
the exercise or exchange of Rights. Interests in fractions of Preferred Stock in
integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock may, at
the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an
appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary selected by it;
provided, that such agreement shall provide that the holders of such depositary
receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences to which they are
entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred Stock represented by such
depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are
not integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, the
Company shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised or exchanged as herein provided an amount in cash
equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole share of
Preferred Stock



                                       26
<PAGE>

(as determined in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date of such exercise or exchange.

               (c) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
shares of Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional
shares of Common Stock upon the exercise or exchange of Rights. In lieu of such
fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company shall pay to the registered
holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional shares of
Common Stock would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of a whole share of Common Stock (as
determined in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date of such exercise or exchange.

               (d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right
expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional
shares upon exercise or exchange of a Right (except as provided above).

               Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of
this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), on his own behalf and for his own
benefit, may enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or
proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his
right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, such Common Stock) in the manner provided therein and in
this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the
holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights
would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and
will be entitled to specific performance of the obligations under, and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of, the obligations of
any Person subject to this Agreement.

               Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right,
by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:

               (a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Stock;

               (b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the office or agency of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, duly
endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer; and




                                       27
<PAGE>

               (c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the
Person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date,
the Common Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of
the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or
writing on the Right Certificates or the Common Stock certificate made by anyone
other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, shall
be affected by any notice to the contrary.

               Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No
holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Stock or any
other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise or exchange of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything
contained herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the
holder of any Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of
the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any
matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold
consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other
actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in this Agreement), or to
receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Rights
evidenced by such Right Certificate shall have been exercised or exchanged in
accordance with the provisions hereof.

               Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.

               (a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable
compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time,
on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and
other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this
Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company
also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against,
any loss, liability or expense, incurred without gross negligence or willful
misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted by the
Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this
Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of
liability arising therefrom, directly or indirectly.

               (b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no
liability for, or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in
connection with, its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right
Certificate or certificate for the Preferred Stock or Common Stock or for other
securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of
attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent,
certificate, statement or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by
the proper Person or Persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set
forth in Section 20 hereof.



                                       28
<PAGE>

               Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights
Agent.

               (a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any
corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent
or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to
the stock transfer or corporate trust powers of the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this
Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the
part of any of the parties hereto; provided, that such corporation would be
eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of
Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed
to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right Certificates shall
have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may
adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such
Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights
Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such
Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates
and in this Agreement.

               (b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be
changed and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature
under its prior name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in
case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either
in its prior name or in its changed name and in all such cases such Right
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in
this Agreement.

               Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes
the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms
and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right
Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:

               (a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be
legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full
and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action
taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.

               (b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or
matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any
action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof
be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by the President




                                       29
<PAGE>


and the Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such
certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken
or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in
reliance upon such certificate.

               (c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and
any other Person only for its own gross negligence or willful misconduct;
provided however that the Rights Agent shall in no event be liable for
consequential, indirect, special or punitive damages.

               (d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any
of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
Right Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to
verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to
have been made by the Company only.

               (e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof
(except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the
validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature
thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any
covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate;
nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights
(including the Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any
adjustment in the terms of the Rights provided for in Sections 3, 11, 13, 23 and
24, or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such
change or adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by
Right Certificates after receipt of a certificate furnished pursuant to Section
12, describing such change or adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be
deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or
reservation of any shares of Preferred Stock or other securities to be issued
pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any shares
of Preferred Stock or other securities will, when issued, be validly authorized
and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

               (f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge
and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all
such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be
required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights
Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.

               (g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any
person reasonably believed by the Rights Agent to be one of the President or the
Secretary of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or
instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any
action taken or suffered by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of
any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for those
instructions. Any application by the Rights Agent for written instructions from




                                       30
<PAGE>

the Company may, at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any
action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent under this Agreement
and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or such omission
shall be effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action taken
by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal included in
any such application on or after the date specified in such application (which
date shall not be less than five Business Days after the date any officer of the
Company actually receives such application unless any such officer shall have
consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking any such action
(or the effective date in the case of an omission), the Rights Agent shall have
received written instructions in response to such application specifying the
action to be taken or omitted.

               (h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in
which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the
Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent
under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting
in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.

               (i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights
or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by
or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable
or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys
or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection
and continued employment thereof.

               (j) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the
Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate contained in the form of
assignment or the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse thereof,
as the case may be, has not been completed to certify the holder is not an
Acquiring Person (or an Affiliate or Associate thereof) or a transferee thereof,
the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such
requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.

               Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this
Agreement upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each
transfer agent of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock by registered or certified
mail, and, following the Distribution Date, to the holders of the Right
Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights
Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent
of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock by registered or certified mail, and,
following the Distribution Date, to the holders of the Right Certificates by
first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall
otherwise become incapable of




                                       31
<PAGE>

acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the
Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after
giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such
resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by
the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right
Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any
Right Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed
by the Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized and doing
business under the laws of the United States or the laws of any state of the
United States or the District of Columbia, in good standing, having an office in
the State of Texas or the State of New York, which is authorized under such laws
to exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to
supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the
time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at
least $50 million. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested
with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been
originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the
predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights
Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any
further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later
than the effective date of any such appointment the Company shall file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of
the Common Stock or Preferred Stock, and, following the Distribution Date, mail
a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates.
Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any
defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or
removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as
the case may be.

               Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding
any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in
such forms as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any
adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of
shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates
made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in
connection with the issuance or sale of Common Stock following the Distribution
Date and prior to the Expiration Date, the Company may with respect to shares of
Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to (i) the exercise of stock options,
(ii) under any employee plan or arrangement, (iii) upon the exercise, conversion
or exchange of securities, notes or debentures issued by the Company or (iv) a
contractual obligation of the Company, in each case existing prior to the
Distribution Date, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number
of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale.

               Section 23. Redemption.

               (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at any time prior
to the Flip-In Event, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding
Rights at a redemption




                                       32
<PAGE>

price of $.01 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split,
stock dividend or similar transaction occurring in respect of the Common Stock
after the date hereof (the redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the
"Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such
time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors of the
Company in its sole discretion may establish. The Redemption Price shall be
payable, at the option of the Company, in cash, shares of Common Stock, or such
other form of consideration as the Board of Directors of the Company shall
determine.

               (b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this
Section 23 (or at such later time as the Board of Directors of the Company may
establish for the effectiveness of such redemption), and without any further
action and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate
and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the
Redemption Price. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such
redemption; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any
such notice shall not affect the validity of such redemption. Within 10 days
after such action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the
redemption of the Rights (or such later time as the Board of Directors of the
Company may establish for the effectiveness of such redemption), the Company
shall mail a notice of redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding
Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the
Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the
transfer agent for the Common Stock. Any notice which is mailed in the manner
herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the
notice. Each such notice of redemption shall state the method by which the
payment of the Redemption Price will be made.

               Section 24. Exchange.

               (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at
any time after the Flip-In Event, exchange all or part of the then outstanding
and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have become void
pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common Stock at an
exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted to
reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring in
respect of the Common Stock after the date hereof (such amount per Right being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Board of Directors of the Company shall not be empowered to effect such
exchange at any time after an Acquiring Person shall have become the Beneficial
Owner of shares of Common Stock aggregating 50% or more of the shares of Common
Stock then outstanding. From and after the occurrence of an event specified in
Section 13(a) hereof, any Rights that theretofore have not been exchanged
pursuant to this Section 24(a) shall thereafter be exercisable only in
accordance with Section 13 and may not be exchanged pursuant to this Section
24(a). The exchange of the Rights by the Board of Directors of the




                                       33
<PAGE>

Company may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such
conditions as the Board of Directors of the Company in its sole discretion may
establish.

               (b) Immediately upon the effectiveness of the action of the Board
of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to
paragraph (a) of this Section 24 and without any further action and without any
notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right
thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of shares
of Common Stock equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder
multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice
of any such exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect
in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company
shall promptly mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of the
Rights so exchanged at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry
books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein
provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice.
Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the
shares of Common Stock for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any
partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial
exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than
Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof) held by each holder of Rights.

               (c) The Company may at its option substitute, and, in the event
that there shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock issued but not
outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit an exchange of Rights for
Common Stock as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the Company
shall substitute to the extent of such insufficiency, for each share of Common
Stock that would otherwise be issuable upon exchange of a Right, a number of
shares of Preferred Stock or fraction thereof (or Equivalent Preferred Shares,
as such term is defined in Section 11(b)) such that the current per share market
price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) of one share of Preferred
Stock (or Equivalent Preferred Share) multiplied by such number or fraction is
equal to the current per share market price of one share of Common Stock
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) as of the date of such exchange.

               Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.

               (a) In case the Company shall at any time after the earlier of
the Distribution Date or the Stock Acquisition Date propose (i) to pay any
dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of its Preferred Stock or
to make any other distribution to the holders of its Preferred Stock (other than
a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of its
Preferred Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any
additional shares of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any
other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its
Preferred Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision or
combination of outstanding Preferred Stock), (iv) to effect the liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (v) to




                                       34
<PAGE>

pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in Common Stock or to effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Stock),
then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Right
Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed
action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such dividend or
distribution or offering of rights or warrants, or the date on which such
liquidation, dissolution, winding up, reclassification, subdivision, combination
or consolidation is to take place and the date of participation therein by the
holders of the Common Stock and/or Preferred Stock, if any such date is to be
fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by
clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record date for
determining holders of the Preferred Stock for purposes of such action, and in
the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the date of the
taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the
holders of the Common Stock and/or Preferred Stock, whichever shall be the
earlier.

               (b) In case any event described in Section 11(a)(ii) or Section
13 shall occur then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to
each holder of a Right Certificate (or if occurring prior to the Distribution
Date, the holders of the Common Stock) in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such event
and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii)
and Section 13 hereof.

               Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:

                       The Houston Exploration Company
                       1100 Louisiana Street, Suite 2000
                       Houston, Texas 77002
                       Attention: Karol Adams, Corporate Secretary

Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made
if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address
is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:

                       The Bank of New York
                       101 Barclay Street, 11E
                       New York, New York 10286
                       Attention:  William F. Powers



                                       35
<PAGE>

Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.

               Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Except as provided in the
penultimate sentence of this Section 27, for so long as the Rights are then
redeemable, the Company may in its sole and absolute discretion, and the Rights
Agent shall if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this
Agreement in any respect without the approval of any holders of the Rights. At
any time when the Rights are no longer redeemable, except as provided in the
penultimate sentence of this Section 27, the Company may, and the Rights Agent
shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without the
approval of any holders of Rights, provided that no such supplement or amendment
may (a) adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights as such (other
than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person),
(b) cause this Agreement again to become amendable other than in accordance with
this sentence or (c) cause the Rights again to become redeemable.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, no
supplement or amendment shall be made which changes the Redemption Price. Upon
the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which
states that the supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this
Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment,
provided that any supplement or amendment that does not amend Sections 18, 19,
20 or 21 hereof or this Section 27 in a manner adverse to the Rights Agent shall
become effective immediately upon execution by the Company, whether or not also
executed by the Rights Agent.

               Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.

               Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement
shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights
Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, the Common Stock) any legal or equitable right, remedy or
claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of
the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Stock).

               Section 30. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and
authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise the rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board of Directors of the Company or to the Company,
or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement,
including, without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the
provisions of this Agreement and (ii) make all determinations deemed




                                       36
<PAGE>

necessary or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including,
without limitation, a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to
amend or not amend this Agreement). All such actions, calculations,
interpretations and determinations that are done or made by the Board of
Directors of the Company in good faith shall be final, conclusive and binding on
the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights, as such, and all other
parties.

               Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.

               Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to
be made and performed entirely within such State; provided however, that the
rights, duties and obligations of the Rights Agent hereunder, shall be governed
by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. The
parties agree that, all actions and proceedings arising out of this Agreement or
any of the transactions contemplated hereby, shall be brought in the United
States District Court for the Southern District of New York or in a New York
State Court in the County of New York and that, in connection with any such
action or proceeding, submit to the jurisdiction of, and venue in, such court.
Each of the parties hereto also irrevocably waives all right to trial by jury in
any action, proceeding or counterclaim arising out of this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated hereby.

               Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any
number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be
deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute
but one and the same instrument.

               Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the
several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall
not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions
hereof.



                                       37
<PAGE>





               IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement
to be duly executed, all as of the day and year first above written.

                                     THE HOUSTON EXPLORATION COMPANY



                                     By:        /s/ JAMES F. WESTMORELAND
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         Name:   James F. Westmoreland
                                         Title:  Vice President and
                                                 Chief Accounting Officer




                                     THE BANK OF NEW YORK
                                     as Rights Agent



                                     By:        /s/ WILLIAM F. POWERS
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         Name:   William F. Powers
                                         Title:  Vice President




                                       38
<PAGE>




                                                                       Exhibit A

                                     FORM OF
                           CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION

                                       of

                  SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK

                                       of

                         THE HOUSTON EXPLORATION COMPANY

             Pursuant to Section 151 of the General Corporation Law
                            of the State of Delaware

               The Houston Exploration Company, a corporation organized and
existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the
"Corporation"), in accordance with the provisions of Section 103 thereof, DOES
HEREBY CERTIFY:

               That pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Directors
of the Corporation (the "Board of Directors") in accordance with the provisions
of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the said Corporation, the said
Board of Directors on August 12, 2004 adopted the following resolution creating
a series of 400,000 shares of Preferred Stock designated as "Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock":

                       RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the
               Board of Directors of this Corporation in accordance with the
               provisions of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, a series
               of Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation
               be and hereby is created, and that the designation and number of
               shares thereof and the voting and other powers, preferences and
               relative, participating, optional or other rights of the shares
               of such series and the qualifications, limitations and
               restrictions thereof are as follows:

                       SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK

               1. Designation and Amount. There shall be a series of Preferred
Stock that shall be designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock," and the number of shares constituting such series shall be 400,000. Such
number of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of
Directors; provided, however, that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock to less than the number of
shares then issued and outstanding plus the number of shares




                                       A-1
<PAGE>

issuable upon exercise of outstanding rights, options or warrants or upon
conversion of outstanding securities issued by the Corporation.

               2. Dividends and Distribution.

                  (A) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of
any shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation ranking prior and
superior to the shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock with
respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of shares of any class or series
of stock of the Corporation ranking junior to the Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock in respect thereof, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and
if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the
purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the final day of March, June,
September and December, in each year (each such date being referred to herein as
a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded
to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $10.00 or (b) the Adjustment
Number (as defined below) times the aggregate per share amount of all cash
dividends, and the Adjustment Number times the aggregate per share amount
(payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a
dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation (the "Common Stock")
since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with
respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance
of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock. The "Adjustment Number" shall initially be 1000. In the event the
Corporation shall at any time after August 23, 2004 (i) declare and pay any
dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the
outstanding Common Stock or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a
smaller number of shares, then in each such case the Adjustment Number in effect
immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such Adjustment
Number by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is
the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to
such event.

                  (B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution
on the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph
(A) above immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common
Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock).

                  (C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on
outstanding shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock from the
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, unless the date of issue of
such shares is prior to the record




                                       A-2
<PAGE>

date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on
such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or
unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after
the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and
before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such
dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends
paid on the shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock in an amount
less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on
such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such
shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for
the determination of holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution
declared thereon, which record date shall be no more than 60 days prior to the
date fixed for the payment thereof.

               3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:

                  (A) Each share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to a number of votes equal to the
Adjustment Number on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the
Corporation.

                  (B) Except as required by law, by Section 3(C) and by Section
10 hereof, holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have
no special voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the
extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth
herein) for taking any corporate action.

                  (C) If, at the time of any annual meeting of stockholders for
the election of directors, the equivalent of six quarterly dividends (whether or
not consecutive) payable on any share or shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock are in default, the number of directors constituting the Board
of Directors of the Corporation shall be increased by two. In addition to voting
together with the holders of Common Stock for the election of other directors of
the Corporation, the holders of record of the Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class to the exclusion of the holders of
Common Stock, shall be entitled at said meeting of stockholders (and at each
subsequent annual meeting of stockholders), unless all dividends in arrears on
the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock have been paid or declared and
set apart for payment prior thereto, to vote for the election of two directors
of the Corporation, the holders of any Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock being entitled to cast a number of votes per share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock as is specified in paragraph (A) of this Section
3. Until the default in payments of all dividends which permitted the election
of said directors shall cease to exist, any director who shall have been so
elected pursuant to the provisions of this Section 3(C) may be removed at any
time, without cause, only by the affirmative vote of the holders of the shares
of Series A




                                       A-3
<PAGE>

Junior Participating Preferred Stock at the time entitled to cast a majority of
the votes entitled to be cast for the election of any such director at a special
meeting of such holders called for that purpose, and any vacancy thereby created
may be filled by the vote of such holders. If and when such default shall cease
to exist, the holders of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall
be divested of the foregoing special voting rights, subject to revesting in the
event of each and every subsequent like default in payments of dividends. Upon
the termination of the foregoing special voting rights, the terms of office of
all persons who may have been elected directors pursuant to said special voting
rights shall forthwith terminate, and the number of directors constituting the
Board of Directors shall be reduced by two. The voting rights granted by this
Section 3(C) shall be in addition to any other voting rights granted to the
holders of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock in this Section 3.

               4. Certain Restrictions.

                  (A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or
distributions payable on the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as
provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and
unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full,
the Corporation shall not:

                     (i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other
distributions on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock;

                     (ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other
distributions on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends
or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which
dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which
the holders of all such shares are then entitled; or

                     (iii) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock
ranking on a parity with the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as
determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, or to such holders and holders of any such shares
ranking on a parity therewith, upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after
consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights
and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in good
faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or
classes.



                                       A-4
<PAGE>


               (B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the
Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of
this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in
such manner.

         5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner
whatsoever shall be retired promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such
shares shall upon their retirement become authorized but unissued shares of
Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock
to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors, subject to
any conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein.

         6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. (A) Upon any liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, voluntary or otherwise, no
distribution shall be made to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders
of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have received
an amount per share (the "Series A Liquidation Preference") equal to the greater
of (i) $10.00 plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment, or
(ii) the Adjustment Number times the per share amount of all cash and other
property to be distributed in respect of the Common Stock upon such liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.

               (B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets
available to permit payment in full of the Series A Liquidation Preference and
the liquidation preferences of all other classes and series of stock of the
Corporation, if any, that rank on a parity with the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock in respect thereof, then the assets available for
such distribution shall be distributed ratably to the holders of the Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock and the holders of such parity shares in
proportion to their respective liquidation preferences.

               (C) Neither the merger or consolidation of the Corporation into
or with another entity nor the merger or consolidation of any other entity into
or with the Corporation shall be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of the Corporation within the meaning of this Section 6.

         7. Consolidation, Merger, Etc. In case the Corporation shall enter into
any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the
outstanding shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock
or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same time be
similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per share equal to the Adjustment
Number times the aggregate amount of stock, securities,



                                       A-5
<PAGE>

cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which
or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged.

         8. No Redemption. Shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock shall not be subject to redemption by the Corporation.

         9. Ranking. The Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall
rank junior to all other series of the Preferred Stock as to the payment of
dividends and as to the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up, unless the terms of any such series shall provide otherwise, and
shall rank senior to the Common Stock as to such matters.

         10. Amendment. At any time that any shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Certificate of Incorporation
of the Corporation shall not be amended, by merger, consolidation or otherwise,
which would materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights
of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock so as to affect them
adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds of the
outstanding shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, voting
separately as a class.

         11. Fractional Shares. Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
may be issued in fractions of a share that shall entitle the holder, in
proportion to such holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights,
receive dividends, and participate in distributions and to have the benefit of
all other rights of holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Certificate this
______th day of August, 2004.

                                    THE HOUSTON EXPLORATION COMPANY



                                    By:
                                        ---------------------------------------
                                        Name:
                                        Title:



                                       A-6
<PAGE>





                                                                       Exhibit B

                            Form of Right Certificate

Certificate No. R-______

               NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER AUGUST 12, 2014 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR
               EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.01 PER
               RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS
               AGREEMENT UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS
               AGREEMENT, RIGHTS OWNED BY OR TRANSFERRED TO ANY PERSON WHO IS OR
               BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT)
               AND CERTAIN TRANSFEREES THEREOF WILL BECOME NULL AND VOID AND
               WILL NO LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE.


                                RIGHT CERTIFICATE

                         THE HOUSTON EXPLORATION COMPANY

               This certifies that ____________________________ or registered
assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each
of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of August 12, 2004, as the same may
be amended from time to time (the "Rights Agreement"), between The Houston
Exploration Company, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and The Bank of New
York, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any
time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on August 12, 2014 at the
office or agency of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or of its
successor as Rights Agent, one one-thousandth of a fully paid non-assessable
share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per
share (the "Preferred Stock"), of the Company at a purchase price of $275.00 per
one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (the "Purchase Price"), upon
presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election
to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate (and the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
which may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase
Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of ________________,
20__ , based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date. As provided in
the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price, the number of one one-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock (or other securities or property) which may be
purchased upon the exercise of the Rights and the

                                       B-1
<PAGE>


number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification
and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.

               This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions
and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions
are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates. Copies of
the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the
Company and the above-mentioned office or agency of the Rights Agent. The
Company will mail to the holder of this Right Certificate a copy of the Rights
Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request therefor.

               This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates,
upon surrender at the office or agency of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, may be exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of
like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like
aggregate number of shares of Preferred Stock as the Rights evidenced by the
Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such
holder to purchase. If this Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the
holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Right
Certificate or Right Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.

               Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption
price of $.01 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for shares
of the Company's Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, or shares of Preferred
Stock.

               No fractional shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock will be
issued upon the exercise or exchange of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby
(other than fractions of Preferred Stock which are integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of the
Company, be evidenced by depository receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash
payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.

               No holder of this Right Certificate, as such, shall be entitled
to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the
Preferred Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time
be issuable on the exercise or exchange hereof, nor shall anything contained in
the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as
such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement) or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until



                                       B-2
<PAGE>

the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been
exercised or exchanged as provided in the Rights Agreement.

               This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.

               WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal. Dated as of _________ __, 20 ___,


                                        THE HOUSTON EXPLORATION COMPANY



                                        By:
                                           -----------------------------------
                                              [Title]
ATTEST:



-------------------------------------
[Title]


Countersigned:


THE BANK OF NEW YORK, as Rights Agent



By
  -----------------------------------
    [Title]



                                      B-3

<PAGE>


                    Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate

                               FORM OF ASSIGNMENT

                (To be executed by the registered holder if such
                holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate)

               FOR VALUE RECEIVED __________________________ hereby sells,
assigns and transfers unto


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  (Please print name and address of transferee)

_______ Rights represented by this Right Certificate, together with all right,
title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint
___________________________ Attorney, to transfer said Rights on the books of
the within-named Company, with full power of substitution.

Dated:
        ----------------------------


                                              ---------------------------------
                                                 Signature

Signature Guaranteed:


         Signatures must be guaranteed by a bank, trust company, broker, dealer
or other eligible institution participating in a recognized signature guarantee
medallion program.

................................................................................
                                (To be completed)

         The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by, were not acquired by the
undersigned from, and are not being assigned to an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).


                                              ---------------------------------
                                                 Signature


                                      B-4
<PAGE>


              Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate - continued

                          FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE

                  (To be executed if holder desires to exercise
                  Rights represented by the Rights Certificate)

To THE HOUSTON EXPLORATION COMPANY:

         The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ________ Rights
represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock
(or other securities or property) issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and
requests that certificates for such shares of Preferred Stock (or such other
securities) be issued in the name of:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Please print name and address)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Please print name and address)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dated:________________________

                                              ---------------------------------
                                                 Signature

        (Signature must conform to holder specified on Right Certificate)

Signature Guaranteed:


         Signature must be guaranteed by a bank, trust company, broker, dealer
or other eligible institution participating in a recognized signature guarantee
medallion program.

                                       B-5
<PAGE>




              Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate - continued

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (To be completed)

         The undersigned certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate are not beneficially owned by, and were not acquired by the
undersigned from, an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as
defined in the Rights Agreement).



                                              ---------------------------------
                                                  Signature


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     NOTICE

               The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to
Purchase, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face
of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement
or any change whatsoever.

               In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of
Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not
completed, such Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.


                                      B-6
<PAGE>



                                                                       Exhibit C

               UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS
               AGREEMENT, RIGHTS OWNED BY OR TRANSFERRED TO ANY PERSON WHO IS OR
               BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT)
               AND CERTAIN TRANSFEREES THEREOF WILL BECOME NULL AND VOID AND
               WILL NO LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE.

                          SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
                          SHARES OF PREFERRED STOCK OF
                         THE HOUSTON EXPLORATION COMPANY

               On August 12, 2004, based on, inter alia, the recommendation of
the Nominating and Governance Committee of directors, the Board of Directors of
The Houston Exploration Company (the "Company") declared a dividend of one
preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of common
stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the "Common Stock"). The
dividend is payable on August 23, 2004 (the "Record Date") to the stockholders
of record on that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase
from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the "Preferred
Stock") at a price of $275.00 per one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred
Stock (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The description and terms
of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement dated as of August 12, 2004,
as the same may be amended from time to time (the "Rights Agreement"), between
the Company and The Bank of New York, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").

               Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons has
become an Acquiring Person (as defined below) or (ii) 10 business days (or such
later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors of the
Company prior to such time as any person or group of affiliated persons becomes
an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or announcement of an
intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which
would result in any person or group of affiliated person becoming an Acquiring
Person (the earlier of such dates being called the "Distribution Date"), the
Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Stock certificates
outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Stock certificate together
with this Summary of Rights. Except in certain situations, a person or group of
affiliated or associated persons becomes an "Acquiring Person" upon acquiring
beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock.
However, KeySpan Corporation, so long as it, together with its affiliates and
associates, shall be the beneficial owner of 10% or more of



                                       C-1
<PAGE>


the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, will become an Acquiring Person if
it, together with its affiliates and associates, acquires beneficial ownership
of more than 24% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock.

               The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date
(or earlier expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be transferred with and
only with the Common Stock. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier expiration
of the Rights), new Common Stock certificates issued after the Record Date upon
transfer or new issuances of Common Stock will contain a notation incorporating
the Rights Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier
expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for
shares of Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such
notation or a copy of this Summary of Rights, will also constitute the transfer
of the Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock represented by such
certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate
certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to
holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the
Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the
Rights.

               The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The
Rights will expire on August 12, 2014 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the
Final Expiration Date is advanced or extended or unless the Rights are earlier
redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case as described below.

               The Purchase Price payable, and the number of shares of Preferred
Stock or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights is
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of
a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the
Preferred Stock, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Stock of
certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Stock at a
price, or securities convertible into Preferred Stock with a conversion price,
less than the then-current market price of the Preferred Stock or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends or dividends payable in
Preferred Stock) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those
referred to above).

               The number of outstanding Rights is subject to adjustment in the
event of a stock dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock
or subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the Common Stock occurring,
in any such case, prior to the Distribution Date.

               Shares of Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of the Rights
will not be redeemable. Each share of Preferred Stock will be entitled, when, as
and if declared, to a minimum preferential quarterly dividend payment of the
greater of (a) $10.00 per share,



                                       C-2
<PAGE>

and (b) an amount equal to 1000 times the dividend declared per share of Common
Stock. In the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company,
the holders of the Preferred Stock will be entitled to a minimum preferential
payment of the greater of (a) $10.00 per share (plus any accrued but unpaid
dividends), and (b) an amount equal to 1000 times the payment made per share of
Common Stock. Each share of Preferred Stock will have 1000 votes, voting
together with the Common Stock. Finally, in the event of any merger,
consolidation or other transaction in which outstanding shares of Common Stock
are converted or exchanged, each share of Preferred Stock will be entitled to
receive 1000 times the amount received per share of Common Stock. These rights
are protected by customary antidilution provisions.

                  Because of the nature of the Preferred Stock's dividend,
liquidation and voting rights, the value of the one one-thousandth interest in a
share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of each Right should
approximate the value of one share of Common Stock.

                  In the event that any person or group of affiliated or
associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right, other
than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereupon
become void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise of a Right
that number of shares of Common Stock having a market value of two times the
exercise price of the Right.

                  In the event that, after a person or group has become an
Acquiring Person, the Company is acquired in a merger or other business
combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning
power are sold, proper provisions will be made so that each holder of a Right
(other than Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person which will have
become void) will thereafter have the right to receive upon the exercise of a
Right that number of shares of common stock of the person with whom the Company
has engaged in the foregoing transaction (or its parent) that at the time of
such transaction have a market value of two times the exercise price of the
Right.

                  At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring
Person and prior to the earlier of one of the events described in the previous
paragraph or the acquisition by such Acquiring Person of 50% or more of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock, the Board of Directors of the Company may
exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such Acquiring Person which will
have become void), in whole or in part, for shares of Common Stock or Preferred
Stock (or a series of the Company's preferred stock having equivalent rights,
preferences and privileges), at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock,
or a fractional share of Preferred Stock (or other preferred stock) equivalent
in value thereto, per Right.


                                       C-3
<PAGE>


                  With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price
will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least
1% in such Purchase Price. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock or Common
Stock will be issued (other than fractions of Preferred Stock which are integral
multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the
election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), and in lieu
thereof an adjustment in cash will be made based on the current market price of
the Preferred Stock or the Common Stock.

                  At any time prior to the time an Acquiring Person becomes
such, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but
not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price") payable, at
the option of the Company, in cash, shares of Common Stock or such other form of
consideration as the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine. The
redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis and
with such conditions as the Board of Directors of the Company in its sole
discretion may establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the
right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of
Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.

                  For so long as the Rights are then redeemable, the Company
may, except with respect to the Redemption Price, amend the Rights Agreement in
any manner. After the Rights are no longer redeemable, the Company may, except
with respect to the Redemption Price, amend the Rights Agreement in any manner
that does not adversely affect the interests of holders of the Rights.

                  Until a Right is exercised or exchanged, the holder thereof,
as such, will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without
limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.

                  A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on
Form 8-A dated August 12, 2004. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free
of charge from the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not
purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the
Rights Agreement, as the same may be amended from time to time, which is hereby
incorporated herein by reference.



                                       C-4